FÊTE DU QUARTIER | A green, culinary and cultural block party in the Quartier des Spectacles on September 30!

Montreal, September 19, 2023 – The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership will host its second annual Fête du Quartier, an event presented as part of the Journées de la culture, to get to know the Quartier’s residents – the people who get the first look at everything happening in the neighbourhood. On September 30 at Esplanade Tranquille, visitors will enjoy numerous free cultural activities with partners including Maison Théâtre, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, Orchestre Métropolitain, Agora de la danse and MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises, as well as having the chance to hear from several artists who contribute to the Quartier with a panel discussion moderated by Julie Laferrière. The party will also include live music, original performances, a guided tour and greening awareness activities. Art and cuisine will be reunited thanks to the participation of Chef Gilles Tolen, who will present a culinary demonstration centred on squash.

THE QUARTIER’S CULTURAL PLAYERS MEET THEIR NEIGHBOURS

In lounge spaces in the pavilion and on the Esplanade Tranquille plaza, participants will get the chance to meet the cultural players who energize the Quartier des Spectacles. The returning participants, Maison Théâtre and Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, will be joined this year by the Orchestre Métropolitain, Agora de la danse and MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises. This privileged access will allow residents to learn about various aspects of the organizations’ artistic work. There will also be introductory workshops for children, virtual reality experiences and discussion spaces for all ages.

CULINARY DEMONSTRATION WITH CHEF GILLES TOLEN

Chef Gilles Tolen, in collaboration with Les Survenants and Galaxie Brasserie, invites visitors to learn how to prepare raw squash, the star of the harvest season. This part of the event will include both a culinary demonstration and a free sample of a squash-based dish. It’s a great opportunity to learn from a high-profile chef who worked in several acclaimed restaurants before becoming the chef at Brasserie T, on Place des Festivals. All the neighbours will be able to sample his creation between 1 and 5 p.m., while supplies last.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE QUARTIER’S ARTISTS

Between noon and 5 p.m., there will be free cultural activities for visitors of all ages, including a new activity: an artists’ interview panel moderated by presenter, journalist and cultural mediator Julie Laferrière. Focusing the conversation on the theme of the 20^th anniversary of the Quartier des Spectacles, Ms. Laferrière will talk with artists who are committed to the Quartier and have presented their work there. She will welcome actress Anne-Marie Cadieux, multidisciplinary artist Caroline Monnet, singer-songwriter Luc de Larochellière, dancer and choreographer Sylvain Émard and the chair of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership’s board of directors, Monique Simard.

Attendees will also enjoy live music from the Montreal Guitar Trio and the Chœur enharmonique de Montréal, as well as the circus performance Voyageurs by the Kaoso collective. At 3:45 p.m., the public will be invited to join an enthusiastic guide certified by the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) for a walking tour of the Quartier des Spectacles, highlighting the district’s history and secrets.

GREENING AWARENESS ACTIVITIES

A walk to discover the Quartier’s trees in planters, organized in collaboration with Sentier Urbain, will raise awareness of the importance of downtown trees and the crucial ecological services they provide. In five stages, participants will learn about different aspects of a tree growing in a planter, from leaf to trunk. On Esplanade Tranquille, visitors will also have the opportunity to meet urban agriculturalist Stephan Senghor of Biome, who will distribute green bouquets grown in the market garden on the roof of the Esplanade Tranquille pavilion.

These activities are part of the Quartier des Spectacles’ triennial greening plan, which unveiled a series of urban ecology initiatives in the spring of 2023.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is 20 years old! The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues as well as numerous festivals and events. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design and immersive environments. The Quartier des Spectacles has become an international showcase for digital public art.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal. 

More information: quartierdesspectacles.com

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CONTACT MEDIAS

Mélanie Mingotaud
Communications Mingotwo
melanie@mingo2.ca
(514) 582-5272

SOURCE

Chloé Goldstein
chloe.goldstein@quartierdesspectacles.com
(514) 812-2193